JP4343635B2 - Portable electronic device with display - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to portable electronic devices such as a digital camera, a PDA, and a camera-equipped mobile phone that can display character information such as characters and symbols and have a restriction on the size of the entire display area. In particular, the present invention relates to a portable electronic device that displays a menu including a series of setting items on a display screen, and allows a user to set a function of the device by selecting a specific item from the menu.

In a normal electronic device, a menu is displayed on a display unit such as an LCD, and the user can select an item to be changed and change the setting. For example, in the case of a digital camera, a setting menu screen is displayed, a shooting mode or a playback mode is selected, a predetermined item (for example, image quality, photometry method) is selected from the menu, and the setting content is changed. In addition, the menu content displayed on the screen can be changed as necessary (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-11-88813 (FIGS. 5 and 6)

  In a portable electronic device with a limited display screen size, when a plurality of setting items are displayed on one screen, the character font size and icon size of each setting item are small and difficult to visually recognize. Therefore, even if it is attempted to change the setting by selecting a setting item, it is difficult to change the setting because of poor visibility.

  A portable electronic device according to the present invention that solves such a problem is an electronic device that allows a user to easily change the contents of setting items even on a display screen with size restrictions. For example, a digital still Cameras, digital movie cameras, PDAs, mobile phones with cameras, and the like are applied as electronic devices.

  The electronic device displays a list of menus composed of a display unit that can display character information and a series of setting items that are character information and can be set by the user. Is provided with display means capable of enlarging and displaying the setting item selected from the whole display section, and switching means capable of switching between normal display and enlarged display. For example, a selection member for selecting a specific setting item in a series of setting items according to the arrangement order is provided, and the display unit may enlarge and display the specific setting item in order according to an operation on the selection member. However, the character information here includes information represented by graphics such as character information, symbols, and icons. The series of setting items displayed as the character information includes, for example, items having a setting changeable characteristic and items representatively showing menu contents. In the case of a digital camera, items related to shooting (image quality, metering method, contrast, white balance), items related to playback display, and the like are applicable. In the case of normal display, a series of setting items are displayed side by side in the vertical direction of the display unit, for example. Representative items correspond to, for example, a shooting mode and a playback mode.

  The size of the display unit provided in the mobile device is limited, and it is difficult to display an image showing the overall configuration in a bird's eye view simultaneously with the setting items. In particular, in the enlarged display state, it is difficult to determine where the selected setting item is in the entire menu. Therefore, the display means may scroll the series of setting items. In the enlarged display state, the display means may scroll and display the transition from a predetermined setting item to an adjacent setting item in a series of setting items. For example, the display means scrolls up and down a series of setting items on the display unit.

  Regarding the scroll display processing, it is preferable to perform the scroll display by processing operations different from those of the personal computer in consideration of the limitation of the RAM (memory) capacity, the restriction on the size of the display unit, and the like. Therefore, the display means selects an image area that is a part of the display image so as to show a transition state in the process of selecting the display image displayed on the display unit and moving to an adjacent image to be displayed next. A scroll image that is a part of an adjacent image and is composed of an image area and a continuous moving area is generated and displayed, and the scroll image is repeatedly generated and displayed using the scroll image as a display image. Since the capacity of the memory provided in the electronic device is limited, the display means has a memory that can store three display images, the display image is in the first storage area, and the adjacent image is in the second storage area. The scroll image is preferably stored in the third storage area, and the repeatedly generated scroll image is sequentially stored in the third storage area, and is sequentially stored in the first storage area as a display image.

  When the portable electronic device is a digital camera provided with a zoom lens and a zoom lever for operating the zoom lens, it is preferable to use the zoom lever as a switching means so that the user can easily operate. In this case, the display means switches from normal display to enlarged display according to the operation of the zoom lever toward the telephoto side, and switches from enlarged display to normal display according to the operation of the zoom lever toward the wide angle side.

  The display device for a portable electronic device according to the present invention displays a list of menus configured by a display unit capable of displaying character information and a series of setting items each of which is character information and can be set by a user. In addition, display means capable of enlarging and displaying a setting item selected from a series of setting items on the entire display unit, and the display means performs normal display or enlargement according to an operation on the switching means for switching between normal display and enlarged display. It is characterized by displaying.

  Even on a display screen with size restrictions, the user can visually recognize the contents of the setting items, and the settings can be easily changed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a rear view of the digital still camera according to the present embodiment.

  On the back surface 10B of the digital still camera 10, a series of buttons and the like operated by the user are provided. Here, a zoom lever 12, a display switching button 14, a cross button 16, an execution button 18, and a menu button 20 are arranged. Has been. Further, on the back surface 10B, there is provided a liquid crystal display unit 30 capable of displaying a subject image as a moving image / still image and displaying character information such as character information, symbols and figures. A finder window 22 is installed on the liquid crystal display unit 30.

  The liquid crystal display unit 30 can display a subject image captured by a photographing optical system (not shown) as a moving image, and can display a menu for setting photographing functions such as image quality and white balance. The operation is switched to either the moving image mode / menu mode, and the shooting function or the like is set by operating the cross button 16 including the up button 16U, the down button 16D, the right button 16R, and the left button 16L. Further, the recorded image is reproduced and displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 30 by operating the display switching button 14. At the time of shooting, the subject image is recorded by operating the release button 13 provided on the upper surface 10U of the camera. The camera 10 includes a zoom lens (not shown). When the tele side 12T (telephoto side) of the zoom lever 12 is pressed, telephoto shooting is performed, and the wide side 12W (wide angle side) is pressed. And wide-angle shooting.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the camera 10.

  A system control circuit 50 including a CPU controls the digital still camera 10, and a release half-press switch 13A, a release full-press switch 13B, an execution switch 18A, a zoom switch 12A, a selection switch 16A, a display changeover switch 14A, and the like are included in the system control circuit 50. It is connected to the.

  In the moving image mode, when a subject image is formed on the light receiving surface of the CCD 40 by the photographing optical system 13, an analog image signal corresponding to the subject image is generated. The CCD 40 is driven by a CCD drive circuit 52, and an image signal is read from the CCD 40 and sent to an amplifier circuit 42. When the image signal read from the CCD 40 is amplified in the amplifier circuit 42, the analog image signal is converted into a digital image signal in the A / D converter 44 and sent to the image processing circuit 46.

  The image processing circuit 46 performs various signal processing such as white balance and gamma correction processing on the digital image signal. The processed image signal is once stored in a frame memory (not shown) and then sent to the LCD driver 47. The LCD driver 47 controls the liquid crystal display unit 30 based on the sent image signal. As a result, the subject image is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 30 as a moving image.

  When the release button 13 is half-pressed to shoot a subject, the release half-press switch 13A is turned on to detect the half-press operation, and the focus lens in the photographic optical system 15 is lens driven for focus adjustment. While being driven by the circuit 64, the exposure detector 63 provided on the front surface of the camera detects the brightness of the subject, the distance from the subject, and the like. When the release button 13 is further fully pressed, the release full press switch 13B is turned on, and the full press operation is detected. Then, based on a control signal output from the system control circuit 50, the shutter 28 opens at a predetermined opening for a predetermined period. The lens driving circuit 64 and the shutter 28 are controlled by an exposure control circuit 58, and the shutter 28 and the photographing optical system 15 are driven based on a control signal from the system control circuit 50.

  When an image signal corresponding to the subject image is read out from the CCD 40, the image signal is processed in the amplifier circuit 42, A / D converter 44, and image processing circuit 46, and to the recording control circuit 62 via the system control circuit 50. Sent. In the recording control circuit 62, the image signal is subjected to compression processing, and the compressed image signal is recorded in the memory card 60.

  When the zoom lever 12 is operated in the moving image mode, a control signal is sent from the system control circuit 50 to the lens driving circuit 64 based on an operation signal from the zoom switch 12A. As a result, the zoom lens in the photographic optical system 15 is driven along the optical axis by a predetermined amount.

  When the playback mode is selected by operating the display switch button 14, the display switch 14A is turned on, and the system control circuit 50 detects the playback mode selection. Then, the compressed image signal is read from the memory card 60 and decompressed by the recording control circuit 62. Then, it is sent to the LCD driver 47 via the image processing circuit 46. The LCD driver 47 controls the liquid crystal monitor 16 based on the transmitted image signal, whereby the recorded subject image is reproduced and displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 30.

  When the menu mode is selected by operating the menu button 20, the menu switch 20 </ b> A is turned on and the menu mode selection is detected by the system control circuit 50. Then, data corresponding to the menu display is sent from the character information memory 61 to the LCD driver 47 via the image processing circuit 46. The LCD driver 47 controls the liquid crystal display unit 30 so that a menu to be displayed is displayed.

  As will be described later, in this embodiment, switching between normal display / enlarged display is possible in the menu mode, and when the zoom lever 12 is operated in the menu mode selected state, switching between enlarged display or normal display is performed by the system control circuit. The LCD driver 47 controls the liquid crystal display unit 30 so that the normal display or the enlarged display is detected. When the cross button 16 is operated by the user, an operation signal is sent to the system control circuit 50 from the selection switch 16A. Based on the detected signal, the corresponding data is read from the character information memory 61, and the LCD driver 47 controls the liquid crystal display unit 30 so that the selected screen is displayed.

  When the execution button 18 is operated in the menu mode, the ON state of the execution switch 18A is detected by the system control circuit 50. In the system control circuit 50, setting of a shooting function such as image quality and white balance adjustment, a playback function, and the like are changed based on the detected signal.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the display operation in the menu mode. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing normal display and enlarged display. When the menu button 20 is pressed, a menu display operation is started.

  When the menu button 20 is operated, a menu including a series of setting items is normally displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 30 (S101). That is, a plurality of setting items are displayed simultaneously on one screen. In this embodiment, in the menu mode, any one of the shooting mode, the playback mode, and the special setting mode can be selected and displayed, and a plurality of setting items are displayed in each mode. FIG. 4 shows a series of setting items displayed in the shooting mode, and the recording size, image quality, white balance, AF area, photometry method, sensitivity, saturation, and contrast are listed as setting items. The items whose settings can be changed are surrounded by a bar LB. When the user operates the buttons 16U and 16D of the cross button 16, the setting item to be selected, that is, the item surrounded by the bar LB moves up and down. As long as the zoom button 12 is not operated on the tele (T) side portion 12T, the menu is normally displayed.

  On the other hand, when the T side portion 12T of the zoom button 12 is pressed in the normal display state, the normal display is switched to the enlarged display (see S102 and S103). That is, the setting item data surrounded by the bar LB is read from the character information 61 and subjected to resolution conversion processing (interpolation processing) in the image processing circuit 46. As a result, the selected specific setting item is displayed on the entire screen (see FIG. 4). Unless the W side portion 12W of the zoom button 12 is operated in the enlarged display state, the menu is enlarged. When the W side portion 12W of the zoom button 12 is operated, the display is switched to normal display (see S104). When the menu button 20 is pressed, the mode is switched to the moving image mode (see S105), and the moving image is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 30.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the display operation in the enlarged display state. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a process of scroll display processing in enlarged display.

  When the up button 16U or the down button 16D is operated in the enlarged display state, the setting item that is one set above or below the setting item that has been selected and displayed so far is displayed in the series of items. The enlarged display screen is scrolled (see S201 and S202).

  FIG. 6 shows the transition of the display from “record size” to “AF area” as a setting item. In the character information memory 61, three memories RAM1, RAM2, and RAM3 are prepared in advance. The RAM 1 stores data corresponding to the display of the item “record size”, and the RAM 2 displays the item “AF area”. Data corresponding to is stored. When the down button 16D is operated in a state where the item “recording size” is enlarged based on the data stored in the RAM 1, the screen display is scrolled as shown below.

  For the display image L1 of the item “record size” in the RAM 1, an image area AR1 having a length A1 with respect to the overall length AL is extracted. On the other hand, an image area (movement area) AR2 having a length A2 is extracted from the display image (adjacent image) L2 of the item “AF area” in the RAM2. A display image (scroll image) L3 obtained by combining the image area AR1 and the image area AR2 is stored in the RMA 3. The sum of the lengths A1 and A2 corresponds to the entire length AL of the display image, and the display image L3 corresponds to an image obtained by scrolling the display image L1 downward by the length A1. The display image L3 stored in the RAM 3 is stored in the RAM 1 as it is. Then, the data of the display image L3 is read by the system control circuit 50, whereby the display image L3 is enlarged and displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 30.

  Next, an image area AR′1 of length A′1 is extracted from the display image L3 stored in the RAM1, and an image adjacent to the image area AR2 is displayed in the display image L2 stored in the RAM2. Region AR′2 is extracted. An enlarged display image L4 obtained by combining the image area AR′1 and the image area AR′2 is stored in the RAM 1 and displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 30.

  By repeating such processing, the display image is displayed so that the display area gradually moves downward, and finally the enlarged display image L2 of the item “AF area” is displayed. Note that the lengths A2 and A'2 corresponding to the amount of movement when scrolling are actually smaller than the overall length AL. Therefore, in the process where the enlarged display is actually scrolled, the user can visually recognize that the user is continuously moving to the next setting item.

  On the other hand, when the left button 16L or the right button 16R of the cross button 16 is pressed, the value, method, etc. of the selected setting item are changed (see S203 and S204). For example, when the setting item is “AF area”, the display is changed from “wide” to “spot” by operating the light button 16R. Alternatively, when the execute button 18 is pressed, the value and method of the setting item selected by the user are set (see S205 and S206).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to switch from a normal display in which a plurality of setting items are displayed simultaneously to an enlarged display in which only the selected setting item is displayed on the entire screen. As a result, the user can change and set the contents of the setting items in a state of good visual recognition.

  The zoom lever 20 is configured to be switched to an enlarged display when the wide side (wide angle side) is pressed, and to be switched to a normal display when the tele side (telephoto side) is pressed. Since normal display and zoom lens wide-side operation, zoom-in display and zoom lens tele-side operation have functionally related meanings, the user can zoom in or out from normal display without mistakes. The display can be switched to the normal display.

  In a state where the setting items are displayed in an enlarged manner, the setting items are scrolled and displayed by operating the up and down buttons 16U and 16D. As a result, the user can recognize the position (location) of the currently selected setting item in the entire menu display even during the enlarged display, and also recognize the transition of the setting item according to the operation of the cross button 16. This makes it easy to set the shooting function and the like.

  In the case of scroll display, in this embodiment, a part of the enlarged display image of the currently selected setting item is selected next using RAM 1 to RAM 3 having a capacity appropriate for a portable electronic device such as a digital camera. Scroll display while synthesizing part of the enlarged display image of the setting item. Thereby, scroll display can be performed without storing the data of the entire series of menu displays in a large-capacity memory.

  In the present embodiment, the enlarged setting item is configured to be scrolled up and down. However, for example, when the menu content is moved from the shooting mode to the playback mode, the setting item is configured to be scrolled. May be. In this case, for example, when the light button 16R is operated in a state where the menu item “shooting function” is displayed, the menu item “playback function” is displayed while being scrolled. However, the enlarged display image is divided along the horizontal direction instead of being divided in the vertical direction of the image as shown in FIG. The other processes are the same as those shown in FIG.

  Even in normal display, when a series of setting items cannot be accommodated in one screen at the same time, a scroll display operation as shown in FIG. 6 may be performed. Further, instead of the three memories RAM1, RAM2, and RAM3, a memory capable of storing three images may be prepared.

  The normal display / enlarged display may be switched by a button other than the zoom lever 20. Alternatively, the display may be switched from the enlarged display to the normal display when a predetermined time elapses. Furthermore, “normal / enlarged display” may be provided as a setting item, and the normal / enlarged display may be switched according to the user's selection. Similarly, a setting item “presence / absence of scroll display” may be provided so that scroll setting is possible.

  Normal / enlarged display and scroll display may be applied to portable electronic devices (movie cameras, PDAs, camera-equipped mobile phones, etc.) other than digital still cameras.

It is a rear view of the digital still camera which is this embodiment. It is a block diagram of a camera. It is the flowchart which showed the display operation in menu mode. It is the figure which showed the normal display and the enlarged display. It is the flowchart which showed the display operation in an enlarged display state. It is the figure which showed the process of the scroll display process in an enlarged display.

Explanation of symbols

10 Camera 12 Zoom lever (switching means)
30 Liquid Crystal Display 47 LCD Driver 50 System Control Circuit 61 Character Information Memory RAM1 Memory (First Storage Area)
RAM2 memory (second storage area)
RAM3 memory (storage area)

Claims (6)

A display unit capable of displaying character information;
A menu including a series of setting items each of which is character information and can be set by the user is displayed in a list on the display unit, and setting items selected from the series of setting items are displayed on the entire display unit. Display means capable of enlarging display;
Switching means capable of switching between normal display and enlarged display ;
A selection member for selecting a specific setting item in the series of setting items ,
In the enlarged display state, the display means can scroll-display a transition from a predetermined setting item to an adjacent setting item in the series of setting items, and the predetermined setting item according to an operation on the selection member Is a scroll that combines an image area that is a part of a display image that is enlarged and a part of an adjacent image in which the adjacent setting item is enlarged and that is a continuous adjacent movement area. Images can be generated and displayed sequentially while moving to adjacent images,
The display means includes a memory provided with first, second, and third storage areas that can store the display image, the adjacent image, and the scroll image, respectively.
The display means stores the display image in the first storage area, stores the adjacent image in the second storage area, stores the scroll image in the third storage area, and
The display means sequentially stores scroll images sequentially generated in accordance with an operation on the selection member in the third storage area, and sequentially stores scroll images generated sequentially as display images in the first storage area. The portable electronic device is characterized by sequentially displaying on the display unit .   The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the series of setting items includes an item having a setting changeable characteristic and an item representative of menu contents. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the selection member is operated to select a specific setting item in the series of setting items according to an arrangement order. Wherein the display means, in the display unit, the portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the scrolling display the series of setting items in the vertical direction. The portable electronic device is a digital camera provided with a zoom lens and a zoom lever for operating the zoom lens,
The switching means includes the zoom lever;
2. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein the display unit switches from normal display to enlarged display according to an operation of the zoom lever toward a telephoto side, and switches from enlarged display to normal display according to an operation of the zoom lever toward a wide angle side. Portable electronic devices. 2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit erases an unselected item from the screen of the display unit and displays the selected setting item on the entire screen of the display unit in the enlarged display. portable electronic devices.

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